Junked metal compressing smasher

ABSTRACT

A junked metal compressing smashed comprises a base or anvil boxed in by sidewalls and an end stop at rear end and with a cantilevered platform at a forward end. The hammer is supported above the base by support arms at a transverse station pivotally connecting base and forward end of hammer, and by support arms of equal length between pivot connections, at a transverse station rearwardly of the first station, pivotally connecting said base and said hammer at equal distances on said hammer as the distance between base stations. Thus, by this pantagraph-type connection arrangement the crushing face of the hammer continuously remains substantially in a horizontal plane as it descends. Yieldable means deadened at one end within the hammer and with other end connected to the free or payout end of the cable, complete the cable length from its winch drum dead ended end to hammer dead ended end, regardless of where hammer stops on smashing descent.

United States Patent Ballard [54] JUNKED METAL COMPRESSING SMASHER {72] Inventor: Wesley D. Ballard, c/o S. M. Tucker, 1011 North 15th Street, Waco, Tex. 76707 [22] Filed: Mar. 19, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 21,092

Related 0.5. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 780,625, Dec. 3, 1968, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser No. 555,187, June 3, 1966, Pat. No. 3,413,914.

1 1 Feb. 15, 1972 3,036,516 5/1962 Purcell ..lO0/265X 3,237,554 3/1966 Davis ..100/218 Primary Examiner-Billy .l. Wilhite Attorney-William E. Ford [57] ABSTRACT A junked metal compressing smashed comprises a base or anvil boxed in by sidewalls and an end stop at rear end and with a cantilevered platform at a forward end. The hammer is supported above the base by support amrs at a transverse station pivotally connecting base and forward end of hammer, and by support arms of equal length between pivot connections, at a transverse station rearwardly of the first station, pivotally connecting said base and said hammer at equal distances on said hammer as the distance between base stations, Thus, by this pantagraph-type connection arrangement the crushing face of the hammer continuously remains substantially in a horizontal plane as it descends. Yieldable means deadened at one end within the hammer and with other end connected to the free or payout end of the cable, complete the cable length from its winch drum dead ended end to hammer dead ended end, regardless of where hammer stops on smashing descent.

PAIENIEBFEB 1 5 i972 SHEET 1 OF 4 l/JV/JJ/HN WESLEY D. BALL/1RD ATTOR ON r PATENTEDFEB 1 5 I972 SHEET 2 UF 4 lNvEN TOR WESLEY D. BALLARD HTTORNEY MQM PATENTEBHHISIQIZ 3.641.929

saw u nr 4 2o: JNVENTOR 7.1. 7.1.5 WESLEY D. BALLARD BY Mi M ATTORNEY JUNKED METAL COMPRESSING SMASI-IER This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 780,625, now abandoned. Application Ser. No. 780,625 was a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 555,l 87, filed June 3, I966, and which issued as U.S. Pat. No.

3,413,9l4 on Dec. 3, 1968. Applications Ser. Nos. 840,902,

filed July I1, 1969, and 851,254, filed Aug. 19, 1969, also relate to ajunked metal compressing smasher.

The objects of the invention, as stated in the preceding applications, are repeated herewith.

It is consequently a primary object of this invention to provide a junked metal compressing smasher of this class which is adapted to compress metallic objects, as metallic chassis and frame parts, into more compact or reduced sizes for more economic hauling.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a machine of this class which is preferably portable so that it may be taken to the location of junked metal at remote locations from larger types of metal compacting and processing machinery.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a smasher of this class which includes a heavy hammer that is hinged at one end and adapted to be power lifted and gravity lowered to smash an object, as a junked automobile on a bed or base from which the hammer is pivoted, the base providing sidewalls and a rear end to upstand from the bed to form a die or restraining form, thus limiting the spread of the crushed metal.

It is also an important object of this invention to provide a smasher of this class with bed sidewalls providing openings therein and means to insure the easy disposition of the lifts of forklift trucks with relation to the bed or base in handling uncrushed bodies onto, and compressed bodies from off, the base.

It is also another and important object of the invention to provide a smasher of this class with a bed adapted to hold a plurality of smashed car bodies, as crushed one at a time, up to the number of crushed bodies that is within the load-carrying capacity of the particular forklift truck that is available for feeding bodies to the smasher.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a smasher of this class which may be handled from a truck and tandem wheels onto the ground into smashing position, and back onto a truck and tandem wheels for transportation, in manner that only a pair of jacks is necessary in handling.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a metal body crushing machine or smasher of this type which is constructed in manner to require limited head room in transportation so that it may pass under underpasses, overhead bridges, and the like without difficulty.

It is also a further object of the invention to provide a smasher of this type which has a heavily weighted hammer designed to be raised rapidly to be freed to descend by gravity with inappreciable friction and great smashing impact.

The part of the invention that is added as new, has all ob jects hereinabove recited for the preceding applications as such are applicable to the disclosure added herein, and has additional objects, as follows:

As a primary object the invention added herein provides a junked metal compressing smasher which presents a substantially horizontally disposed crushing contact surface as it descends and smashes metal, the hammer remaining in constant connection with the hammer lift means.

It is also another and further object of this invention to provide a junked metal compressing smasher of the class described immediately hereinabove, which includes a lift cable length completed by a yieldable means dead-ended at one end within the hammer and with other end connected to payout or free end within the hammer and with other end connected to payout or free end of the lift cable from its winch drum dead-ended end, whereby cable connection is yieldably extended with hammer, to whatever position it may descend.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification herein is considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIGS [-8, inclusive, are exclusively confined to carried over disclosures continued from the preceding application Ser. No. 555,187, filed June 3, 1966, and issued as US. Pat. No. 3,314,414, on Dec. 3, 1968, as immediately hereinbelow set forth:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a smasher comprising an embodiment of the invention with front end pivotally connected to the fifth wheel on the end of a trailer, or behind a truck or prime mover, the rear end being supported on a tandem wheel unit;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a smasher as shown in FIG. 1, the machine being shown in operating position ready to crush a second automobile body on top of a first body that has already been crushed as restrained to predetermined spread by the bed of the machine; the position shown also being the position of hammer disposition when the jacks are applied to reload the smasher on trailer and tandem;

FIG. 3 is a small scale side elevational view, showing the machine disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 with hammer in the second position for reloading;

FIG. 4 is a small scale side elevational view of the machine shown in FIG. 3, with hammer in the third position of reload- FIG. 5 is a small scale side elevational view of the machine shown in FIG. 3, with hammer in the fourth or last position of reloading;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the smasher shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, isometric view of the smasher shown in FIGS. 1,2, 3 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, transverse elevational view, part in section, looking rearwardly at the station of the hammer pivot shaft, as taken along line 88 of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 9-15, inclusive, are directed to disclosures continued from copending application Ser. No. 780,625, filed Dec. 3, 1968; while such disclosures also support the herein application, with FIGS. 9, l3, and 15-17, inclusive, accentuating features claimed herein in new combinations; the aforesaid FIGS. 9l6, inclusive, being described, as follows:

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention comprised by the added part of the invention introduced by this application;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view, part in section, taken along line l0-- 10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary isometric view of a front end portion of a hammer, as shown in side elevation in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view, part in section, showing hammer parts in descent, or nearing high impact;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view, partially diagrammatic, as seen looking down upon the forward portion of the machine including the forward portion of the hammer in lowered positron;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view, showing disposition of pivot arms, as taken along line 14l4 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary side elevational view, part in section, showing hammer parts, latch parts, and brake-operating parts, in hammer-raised, brake-applied position;

FIG. 16 is an elevational view, partially diagrammatical, showing operation of clutch and brake together with winch drive apparatus and relationships; and

FIG. 17 is a view of safety latch operation, as the hammer is to be yieldably latched in raised position, or of safety latch operation as the yieldable latch is to be retained in unlatched position.

Referring now in detail to the drawings of the continuing part of the application, in which like reference numerals are applied to like elements in the various views, a junked metal compressing smasher or crushing machine 10 is shown in detail in FIGS. l-2, and in FIGS. 6-8, with the machine comprising essentially a base I1 and a hammer 12 pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft 13 journaled at either end in brackets 14a, 14b connected to the base 11.

At its forward end the base I 1 includes a forward cantilever construction which includes a strong upright part 16 upstanding from the forward end of the base 11 and an operators platform 17, cantilevered forwardly therefrom to provide a support for the operational mechanism 18 and to rest, in transit, as on the rear end of a truck bed or trailer 19, and centrally over a fifth wheel construction 20 carried on the rear end 19, so that a pivot bolt 21 may be installed downwardly, centrally through the platform 17 and through the conventional socket or bore provided therefor in the fifth wheel, thus to provide a vertical pivotal connection between the crusher or smasher 10 and the truck bed or trailer 19 of the prime mover which pulls the smasher.

At its rear end the base 11 includes a rearward cantilever construction 22 with a strong upright part 23 upstanding from the rear end of the base 11 and a horizontally extending cantilevered part 24 to the rear thereof having a downwardly opening angle box or rectangular extension frame 25. A tandem unit or assembly 27 of two pair of traction wheels has an upper part comprising a rectangular boss 26 which is received or fitted into the angle frame beneath the cantilever part 24 whereby the rear part of the crusher 10 is supported in transit. Additionally, bolts, not shown, may bolt the rear cantilever part to the tandem unit 27.

The central portion of the base 11 or the base proper 1 la, is comprised of longitudinal members in the form of sturdy structural shapes, as inwardly facing channels 28 outermost, with I-beams 29 transversely spaced apart centrally thereinbetween, these beams or shapes being connected forwardly to the rear of the forward upright 16 and rearwardly to the rearward upright 23. As best shown in FIG. 8, these structural members are tied together by a lower baseplate 30 to which they are welded. Also they are tied together by, and welded upwardly to, an upper baseplate 31 which extends over the beams, from just to rear of the hammer pivot to the rear cantilever construction 22.

Additionally at the forward end of the base central portion 110, the beams 28 and 29 are floored by a top plate 31a forwardly of the hammer pivot. Also, on each side, forwardly, smaller, outwardly facing channels 32 are provided to extend rearwardly and to support on each side the respective brackets 14a, 14b in which are journaled the ends of the hammer pivot shaft 13. Between its respective ends the pivot shaft 13 passes through a succession of spaced-apart upright legs or members of the hammer 12, the outer legs 33a being connected upwardly to the respective outer, longitudinally extending, structural members or inwardly facing channels or hammer runner members 34.

Between the outer legs 33a, spaced apart central or inner legs 33b are connected upwardly to a transversely extending structural or hammer plate 35 which extends from channel 34 on one side to channel 34 on the other side. Also, the pivot shaft 13 is supported by longitudinally extending, smaller channels 36, which are disposed between the l-beams 29, and between the l-beams 29 and outer structural members or channels 28, and which extend rearwardly from the forward cantilever upright 16, and which are welded to and supported upon, the lower baseplate 30.

The forward and rear ends of the hammer are tied together, between the ends of the channels 34, by structural plates or angles 37, and spaced inwardly of the outer beams or runner channels 34 the hammer 12 includes l-beams 38, with a larger, central l-beam 39 being spaced centrally between the l-beams 38. Also, longitudinally spaced-apart cross-connecting members 370 are provided between the beams as transverse elements. It should be noted that the hammer, for weight, may be constructed of other and heavier shapes, to meet performance requirements, and also the base 1 1 can be constructed of various heavy shapes and forms to withstand the pounding imposed upon it in service.

In order to restrain the automobile bodies'crushed upon the base 11 substantially to predetermined plan areas and thicknesses, respective sidewalls or upright side members 40a, 40b are provided to extend along the base 11 on either side thereof, the walls being comprised of respective forward. central and rear sections 41a, 41b, 41c, respectively, with each section comprised of upright beams 42, longitudinally extending runners or upper and central connecting members 43a,

43b, and a longitudinally extending beam, channel or lower runner 44 extending between the uprights 42 for the length of the sidewall sections. The inner surfaces of the sidewalls, which form the die or restraining elements channelizing the spread of junked metal when a car body is crushed, comprise forward, central and rear plates 45a, 45b, 45c.

Vertically extending slots 46a, 4612 are thus provided between the respective wall sections 41a, 41b and 41b, 41c which are slightly greater in width than the width of the forks or fingers of the conventional forklift truck lifts, as will be hereinbelow described, the slots extending from the tops of the walls downwardly to the tops of the respective runners 44.

Also, in connection with the operation of the forklift trucks which handle the positioning upon, and removal of the automobile bodies from the baseplate 31, a pair of pipe or halfpipe sections 47 are welded to the top plate 31 of the base 12, which extend outwardly from the respective slots 46a, 4612 over the plate 31, as indicated in FIG. 2, and in dotted lines in FIG. 6.

At the forward end of each sidewall forward section 41a, a triangularly shaped gusset or forward brace 48 is provided, comprised of a triangularly shaped plate 49 and a diagonally extending structural member, as a channel 50, the bases of the gussets 48 being connected to, and supported upon the respective side channels 32. Also, cross-connecting beams, bars, or brace elements 51 are connected forwardly to the respective rear top corners of the cantilever upright 16 and rearwardly to the top of the respective gussets 48 and forward corners of the forward sidewall sections 410.

The hammer 12 is lifted and lowered by a cable 52, one end of the cable being dead-ended on the reel drum of a winch 53 mounted on the rear portion of the forward cantilever platform 17. From the drum 53 the cable extends under a sheave of a double sheave pulley 54 mounted at the top of an A-frame 55 which upstands from the central portion of the hammer 12. In detail the A-frame 55 comprises opposed, transverse structural channels 56 which extend diagonally upwardly from their connections to the hammer side runners 34, to an apex in the form of the housing and mount 57 for the pulley 54, such mount 57 being best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, but being omitted for purposes of clarity in H0. 1, The A-frame is completed by a forward diagonally extending l-beam 58 from the central longitudinal beam 39 of the hammer to the apex 57, and by a rearward diagonally extending l-beam 59, from the l-beam 39 to the apex 57, the brace member 59 being in turn braced by a diagonally extending member 60, as indicated in FIG. 1.

The cable 52 extends upwardly around the rear part of the first sheave of the pulley S4 and forwardly and downwardly around the forward part of the first sheave of a double sheave pulley 61 which is mounted in a bracket assembly 86 carried centrally on top of the top transverse member 62 of a frame 63 which upstands centrally above the cantilever platform 1'7. Thence the cable 52 extends rearwardly and under and around the rear part of the second sheave of the A-frame pulley 54-, and over and back forwardly over the second sheave of the forward pulley 61, and downwardly around the forward part of such second sheave, to terminate functionally in a clamp 64 which is mounted upon a cross brace or crosstie 65, spaced under and parallel with the transverse member 62, and thus between the two forward uprights 66 of the frame 63.

The frame 63 additionally includes two spaced-apart, longitudinally extending runners 67 between the tops of the forward uprights 66 and the tops of the rear uprights 68 which upstand from the rear part of the platform 17; a transverse member 87 tying together the tops of the rear uprights 66, and the transverse member 62 tying together the forward uprights 68, as aforesaid. Also, the frame 63 may include adequate conventional cross bracing, or diagonally extending members,

not shown, in order to provide clarity of disclosure for the parts shown. The cable 52 extends downwardly from the clamp 64, which dead-ends it to the frame 63, and around a reserve drum 69 which is supported by, and has its shaft journaled in, brackets 70 which are mounted on the forward part ofthe platform 17.

Since the frame 63 functionally deadends the forward end of the cable 52, its component structural elements should be of substantial strength, and in effect the frame 63 comprises a truss. To this end, diagonally extending brace members 71 extend downwardly from the top elements at the rear of the frame 63, through slots 72 in the hammer 12, and are affixed to the top surface of the brace plate 31 of the base portion 110, thus to strengthen the base longitudinally.

A gasoline engine 73 is mounted on the platform 17 to drive the winch 53 which pays out and takes up the cable 52, the engine shaft 74 having a pulley 75 mounted thereon to drive through conventional sprocket chain or belting, a pulley 76 on one end ofajack-shaft 77 which is joumaled in, and supported by conventional pillow blocks mounted on the platform 17 to the rear of the engine 73. A pinion 78 is mounted on the other end of the jackshaft 77 to mesh with a large gear 79 on the end of the winch shaft 80, the winch shaft 80 being properly journaled in, and supported by, brackets 81 which upstand from the platform 17. A conventional transmission guard 86 is provided for the pulleys 75, 76, as shown in FIG. 7, and a corresponding guard, not shown, may be provided for the gear 79 and pinion 78.

The operators position on the platform 17 is determined by the location of the operating levers 82, 83, which are shown mounted on the platform 17, more or less diagrammatically, to indicate that the operator's post must be laterally outwardly from the engine shaft 74, the levers being operatively connected by connection means 84, also indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 7, to select direction of winch rotation (to takeup or payout cable) and to clutch-connect the engine shaft 74 to be driven. Thus, the lever 82, through connection means 84, may operate clutch means, as within the frustoconical engine housing part 85, to connect the engine shaft 74 to drive the winch 53, and the lever 83, by its position, disposes the connection means 84 in manner to determine direction of winch drum rotation. The dotted line arrow thus indicates that the winch drum 53 has rotated in counterclockwise direction to raise the hammer 12.

A strong pipe 90 is shown in the drawings extending transversely across the hammer 12 near the forward end thereof, the pipe 90 being affixed to the structural members 34, 38, 39 as by welding. Also, in FIG. 2, two opposed jacks 88a, 88b, indicated diagrammatically as hydraulic jacks, are shown as being provided with transversely extending support arms or bars 89, from the tops or heads of the jacks 88a, 88b, such supports being of diameter to be slid into the socket providing ends of the pipe 90 when the hammer 12 is raised to position the axis of the pipe 90 in coaxial alignment with the support bar axis when the jacks have been manipulated to raise the support bars to a predetermined level.

If the cable 52 is now freed, by manipulation of the levers 82, 83 on the platform 17, whereby the hammer 12 may descend by its own weight, downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 2, the rearward end of the machine may be scraped slightly forwardly along the ground as the forward end of the machine 10 pivots upwardly about the support and pipe axis into the air, as shown in FIG. 3.

In this position the rear end cantilever 22 is too low to receive a tandem unit 27 thereunder as a first step in transferring the machine 10 from ground to wheeled support. Also, in relationships of hammer pivot 13, with pivot pipe 90 on machines, the hammer 12 could be raised high enough to lift the jacks 88a, $812 off the ground sufficiently to let the machine base 11a return to sit flat upon the ground, the same as shown in FIG. 2, thereby making no progress.

However, if, as shown in FIG. 4, a block or log 92 is placed under the base 11a, a predetermined distance to the rear of the transverse plane of the jacks 88a, 88b, and parallel thereto, the hammer 12 might then be raised to such a height to lift the jacks 88a, 88!) from the ground a very slight distance, whereby the forward upper corner of the block 92 becomes the fulcrum, and the forward corner of the cantilever upright 16 moves to the ground as the rear end of the machine 10, including the cantilever 22 is carried upwardly into the air.

The raising of the hammer 12 to the position shown in FIG. 4 has taken the load off of the jacks 88a, 88b, as aforesaid, but when the hammer is lowered again, the jacks seat again and the load is transferred from the block 92 to the jacks and as the hammer is further lowered the forward end of the machine 10 moves upwardly about the fulcrum of pipe and support bars 89 therein, and the rear end of the machine 10 moves downwardly. As this takes place the tandem unit 27 is wheeled beneath the rear cantilever section 22 and manipulated, so that as the frame 25 descends, the aforesaid described rectangularly cross-sectioned boss or tandem unit upper frame part 26 is received within the frame part 25 on the underside of the cantilever member 24. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the rear end of the machine 10 now bears on the rear portion of the tandem unit upper part 26, while the hammer 12 has been fully lowered to rest on the rear part of the base 11a, the forward end of the machine 10 still being raised amply above the rear part of a trailer or prime mover 19 which is being backed under such forward end.

At this stage the hydraulic fluid pressure lifting the upper parts of the jacks 88a, 88b may be released to let the upper parts of the jacks descend, and consequently the forward end of the machine 10 may descend as the rear end 19 of the truck is maneuvered to place its fifth wheel 20 in position to have the fifth wheel connection member 21 installed through the platform 17 to connect the prime mover 19 and machine 10, whereby the machine 10, by the use of the hammer 12 in cooperation with the jacks 88a, 88b, has rapidly been transferred from ground support to wheeled support. It should well be appreciated that the adaptability of the machine 10, which has to be quite heavy to function as intended, to be changed from operative ground support to wheeled support for transport to further locations ofjunked metal bodies, can provide a highly competitive advantage to an operator of such a machine as will be further emphasized in detail hereinbelow.

The invention is designed to solve at least one economic problem, that of inexpensively transferring junked automobile bodies from out-of-the-way locations, or smaller lots, as found in smaller sized cities, to large cities where economy permits the provision of means whereby automobile bodies may be further processed to be handled in reduced bulk, as in compressed bales, or shredded metal bundles, on the route of junked metal to steel mill furnaces.

The provision of sidewalls to complete a bed, permits a plurality of bodies to be handled, one after another being crushed to the height of the bed, to make a load to the capacity of a forklift truck load. Thus, the quickly crushed loads may be handled from the bed of the machine and loaded to the capacity of a truck bed, or truck load capacity, so that several forklift truck loads can be carried in one hauling truck load, to the site of a massive shredder or baling press, or directly to the site of a steel mill furnace.

An embodiment of the invention introduced by this application is shown in side elevation in FIGS. 9-11 in which a crushing or junked metal smashing machine comprises a base 101 including an anvil or junked metal supporting box bottom 102 of structural shape and plate construction. From the forward end of the box bottom 102 a cantilever construction 103 extends forwardly to provide a platform 104 on which is mounted the hammer lift apparatus 105 from which extends the cable 106 to the hammer 107 shown mounted by forward and rear pivot arms 108, 109 which dispose the hammer 107 with smashing or crushing under surface 110 above the box bottom 102. Any stop wall 111 may extend across the foot of the box bottom 102 to define the rearward spread of the crushed or junked metal, thus to bound the rear face of the bundle or bale resulting from the fall of the hammer 107. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the stop wall 111 is provided as the front wall of a rearwardly cantilevered section 112, for the same purpose as such section shown in the foregoing forms of invention first disclosed in the parent application, and useful in the unloading and reloading of the smasher 10, when hauled to location by a prime mover.

Sidewalls 113, 114 upstand from the sides of the anvil or box bottom 102, each being comprised from forward end, rearwardly, of successive uprights 1 a, 115b, 1 15 as angles, above the floor 116 of the box bottom 102, and mounting a runner, as an angle 117a; successive uprights 118a, 118b, mounting a runner 117b; and successive uprights 119a, 1191: mounting a runner 117e, all as best indicated in FIG. 9.

The rear pivot arms 109, on either side of the hammer 107, have their lower ends pivotally mounted on pivot pins 120 which extend transversely outwardly from the sides of the box bottom 102. The upper ends of these arms 109 are pivotally connected to pivot pins 121 which extend transversely outwardly from the side of an upper hammer section 107a which is spaced above the lower hammer section 107b on each side by forward uprights 122a; intermediate uprights 122b, 122e, 122d; rear uprights 1222, and diagonally extending rear toe members l22f. Runners 123 on the opposed sides of the upper hammer section 107a have rack teeth 123:: along the upper rear surfaces thereof into which may fit teeth 124a on a rack 125 on each side of the underside of a counterweight 126 which extends across the upper hammer section 107a. Thus, by selectively moving the counterweight 126 forwardly or rearwardly upon the upper hammer section runners 123 the center of the mass of crushing contact of the hammer 107 may be adjusted in accordance with the center of the mass of a junked metal body, as an automobile to be crushed. For instance, such a shift might be made prior to crushing a series of junked automobile bodies of the same make known to have a center of mass at a predetermined location with relation to the box bottom 102, as loaded thereon.

A cross-frame or transverse wall structure 130 at the rear of the cantilevered platform 104, upstands from the forward end portion of the base 101, and six diagonal brace members 127a, 1271:, 127e, 127d; 127e and l27f, with rear, lower ends connected to the box bottom 102, have their upper ends connected to the wall structure or rear cross-frame 130 of the forward cantilevered section 103 at a spaced distance above the base 101, as best indicated in FIG. 9.

A cross-shaft 128, journaled in uprights 129, 129b, FIG. 13, which upstand within the forward end of the box bottom 102, extends across the forward end of the box bottom 102, and has six pivot arms 108 mounted thereon, the axis of the cross-shaft 128 being at the same distance above base level as the axes of the pivot pins 120 on which the lower ends of the pivot arms 109 are pivotally mounted. Each runner 128 of the upper hammer section 107a provides a lug 131 on the forward end thereof to receive therethrough a cross-shaft 129 on which the upper end of the six pivot arms 109 are pivotally mounted. Noticeably the distance between pivot axes on the pivot arms 108 is the same as the distance between pivot axes on the pivot arms 109. Also the distance between the upper pivot axes 129, 121 is the same as the distance between the lower pivot axes 128, 120. Thus a pantagraph arrangement on each side of the forward portion of the hammer 107 insures that it can move with under crushing surface 110 substantially in the horizontal during its smashing or crushing action.

Details of hammer construction are shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the lower section 1071) being indicated as including a shaped rear end or nose 132 to channelize the rearward and downward movement of the upper rear portion of crushed metal contacted in hammer descent. Noticeably the opposed sides of the lower hammer 107k comprise rail guards 133a, 1331: which extend downwardly below the level of the under sideplate or crushing contact surface 110 of the hammer 107, thus to resist the tendency of parts of the crushed metal from working upwardly between hammer and sidewalls 113, 1 14.

Also, in order to channelize or form the uppermost crushed surface of the junked metal along the opposed upper corners of the mass, diagonally extending plates 134a, l34b may be disposed with lower edges connected along the inner, lower edges of the rail guard plates 133a, 133b, and upper edges of the plates 134a, 134b connected to the crushing plate or hammer underside surface 110. These elements 133a, 134a, and 133b, 134b are indicated as extending for the full lengths of the respective left and right sides of the lower hammer section 107a.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, plates 135a, 135b, 1351: and 135d fill in between the inner legs of the respective upright angles 115a and 115b, 1151; and 1150, 118a and 118b, and 1190 and 119 b, on each side, to complete the sidewalls 113, 114. Gaps 136, 137 are thus provided between the uprights 115e, 118a and the uprights 118b, 119a, respectively, on each side, so that the lift prongs of forklift trucks may be inserted just above the floor 116 of the box 102 to handle bodies to be crushed, and after crushing. Wells 138 and 139 are formed or depressed in the floor 116 at spaced-apart distance corresponding generally with the automobile wheel spacing apart. Also, upon first impact junked metal parts are crushed down into the wells 138, 139 and thus latch the automobile body in place against any further longitudinal displacement so that the remainder of impact following this initial fixing of the junked automobile, is directed entirely in vertical crushing. Also, since the wells 138, 139 extend all the way across the box bottom, air compressed by impact of hammer may escape sidewardly through these wells 138, 139, also cleanout can be accomplished sidewardly therefrom. Also, the runner 117b on each side has recess 140 therein, FIG. 9, to receive the outer ends of the pivot pins 121 at the end of hammer drop.

Also, the opposed, pivoted arms 109 have holes 142 therein, so that a safety latch bar, inserted through such holes 142, may rest in the recesses 141 and thus serve as a safeguard in keeping the hammer 107 in upwardly latched position, as when an operator may be working in the box bottom 102. Also, noticeably in FIG. 10, bearings 143a, 1431; are provided on each outer side of the plate 135b, for the pivot shaft 120, and just inboard of the pivot arms 108 thereon. Additional features include soil anchors 144 on each corner of the base 101, comprising anchor plates 145 hinged upwardly on head pins 146 which extend transversely outwardly at spaced distances above the ground and from the side of the base 101. The anchor plates 14S extend rearwardly and downwardly over guide pins 147 which also extend outwardly from the side of the base 101 and to the rear of, and at a lower level than the head or hinge pins 146. Thus, as service would ordinarily tend to drive or slide the machine 100 rearwardly along the ground 150 upon which rests the base 101, the anchor plates 145 are driven into the ground 150 to stop any further tendency toward rearward displacement.

Referring now in detail to FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, the upper hammer section 107a is shown as comprised of side runners 123 cross-connected forwardly by a heavy crossbar 148, and cross-connected rearwardly thereof by crossmembers 149. Also, as aforesaid, vertical upright members connect the upper and lower hammer sections 107a, 107b, as shown in FIG. 9; uprights 122a and 122b also being indicated in FIG. 13 below the runners 123 and additionally an upright 122a being shown in FIG. 12. The lower hammer section l07b is indicated in FIG. 13 as having a central, longitudinally extending chamber 151 down the middle thereof, as provided between two parallel extending, longitudinal members 152a, 152b, which may preferably consist of conventional channels, 0ppositely facing with webs outboard.

In FIG. 13 the space between the channels 152a, 152b, is shown uncovered, for purposes of clarity, but in FIG. 12 this space is indicated as being closed over by strength member plate 153, which extends from channel flange to channel flange, and which can be removably installed to permit removal to give access from above to service the cable 106 and other apparatus within the chamber 151. As indicated in FIG. 12, an eyebolt 154 has its shank extended rearwardly through a dead end plate 155 across the chamber 151 and a nut 156 is threaded onto the end of the shank of the eyebolt 154 to bear on the rear face of the dead end plate 155 when the cable 106 is in tension. The rear end of a coil spring 157 is dead-ended in the eyelet of the eyebolt 154, and the forward end thereof is connected to a swivel 158 having the rear end of the cable 106 dead-ended to the forward end of the said swivel 158.

The cable 106 extends through a stop washer 159 shown thereon in FIG. 12 just forwardly of the swivel 158, and thence the cable 106 extends through a bore 161 therefor through a stop plate 160 which is located across the chamber 151 a short distance to the rear of the front end of the hammer section 107b. From the stop plate 160 the cable 106 passes over the underside portion of a pulley 162 which is mounted on a shaft 162a which extends across the chamber 151 and is journaled in the webs of the opposed channels 152a, 152b immediately adjacent the forward ends thereof and forwardly of the stop plate 160. From the underside of the pulley 162 the cable 106 extends upwardly and over a pulley 163 mounted on top the wall 130 and from thence to the drum 164 of a reel 165 supported upon the platform 104.

As shown more or less diagrammatically in FIG. 9, a prime mover, as a gasoline engine 166, is mounted forwardly on the platform 104. The engine 166 drives a pulley 167 which through belt drive 168 drives a larger diameter pulley 169 on a jackshaft, not shown, transmission means 170 on the same jackshaft being indicated diagrammatically as drive connected to brake and clutch means, not shown, but controlled by the brake lever 171 and clutch lever 172 indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 9. A manually operated lever 173 and yieldably releasable latch or lock 174, for the purpose of holding the hammer 107 in raised, locked position, and for then releasing the hammer 107 to descend, is also shown diagrammatically in FIG. 9.

Referring now to FIG. 12, the relative position of hammer 107 and associated apparatus indicate that the hammer 107 may have reached the end of crushing stroke, and that the spring 157 has undergone its normal contraction to draw the cable 106 into the hammer chamber 151 for a distance found in practice to be best at approximately four feet. At this point all of the cable 106 has been wound off the drum 164 and the cable extends from its dead end knot 175 in the drum 164, FIG. 15, to the groove of the pulley 163 with the shaft 176 of the drum 164 being in alignment with the cable as an extension from its point of tangency on the pulley 163. See cable 106 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 15.

As the hammer 107 reaches the position suggested or indicated in FIG. 12, the clutch lever 171 is moved in direction thus to move the clutch shaft 199, FIG. 13, outwardly into enclutched engine drive position, whereby engine drive is transferred through conventional transmission 170, as indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 9, to drive the winch drum 164 counterclockwise (FIGS. 9 and to wind the cable 106 back upon the drum 164.

After the innermost or rearmost 4 feet of cable, as aforesaid, has been drawn out of the hammer chamber 151, the stop washer 159 is brought in contact with the rear side of the stop plate 160, as the swivel 158 is drawn forwardly by the cable 106, and the spring 157 is stretched to fullest intended extent. The hammer 107 is now lifted as the drum 164 continues in counterclockwise drive. When the hammer 107 is completely raised, the operator may urge the brake lever 172a in direction to apply the brake, to be hereinbelow described in detail. Also the operator may pull out the latch pin 177 so that the latch lever 173 may be disposed with the latch 174 spring urged to latching position against a latch stud 178 on a hammer arm 108, the latch pin 177 being reinserted, as will be described later herein. Also, the clutch lever 171a is moved in direction thus to move the clutch shaft 199, FIG. 13, inwardly with relation to the reel 165, (as will be hereinbelow described in detail), thus to disengage the engine drive from enclutched position.

At the time the operator disengages the clutch, he is also ready to pull out the latch pin 177 and urge the latch lever 173 counterclockwise, thus relieving pressure of the latch 174 upon the latch stud 178, (the latch stud 178 then being reinserted), whereby latch pin 177, latch lever 173, and latch 174 are in position indicated in FIG. 9.

Also, the operator now urges the brake lever 172a in brakereleasing direction with the consequence that the hammer 107, by virtue of its weight and raised position, may start descent, as the winch drum 164 is released to wheel free. Also, since the spring 157 within the lower hammer section 10712 is free to contract as the latch 174 is unlatched, assurance is provided that the hammer 107 will start descent without any prompting or urging against inertia.

When the hammer 107 reaches the end of its descent, (has compressed a vehicle body as much as it will compress), the cable 106 has been let out to its fullest extent. It follows that the remaining lift line distance between the free end of the cable 106, stop washer 159, and swivel 158, and the dead end hook 154 within the hammer 107, must be comprised of the length of spring 157. The provision of this yieldable, or

stretchable and contractable member 157 just forward of the dead end of the lift means in the hammer 107, is the key which enables the same amount of cable payout to accompany hammer descent to various elevations above the bed, responsive to various dimension in height corresponding with the amount of compression that can be accomplished against respective loads. Also, as hereinabove pointed out, when the hammer is unlatched, the freedom of the spring length 157 to start contracting, starts pulling the cable 106 into the hammer 107, or otherwise starts descent of the hammer 107, on every cycle. Obviously, with the hammer 107 at end of stroke, the operator needs only to move the clutch lever 171a to reengage clutch drive, to start over the lift cycle.

As shown in detail in FIG. 17, with the latch 174 comprises a special bellcrank lever 180 with pivot 179 on the frame upright 130, and a foot or leg 180a which has a concavely cammed surface 180C to fit in latching position against the stud 178 ofa hammer arm 108, as a compression spring 181a urges the foot member 180a in clockwise direction. As shown, the compression spring 181a urges downwardly within a base guide 181b on the upper end of the foot member or leg 181a, and urges upwardly within a guide-recessed cap 1810 included by a bracket 181a pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 182 which extends outwardly from the frame or upright 130.

The other leg 18011 of the bellcrank lever 180 has a slide pin 180d extended from the upper end portion thereof into a slot 173a provided in the upper end of the lever 173. As shown in FIG. 9, the lever 173 pivots upon a pivot pin 183 journaled in its lower end and extending from the frame base 104. A bar or cantilevered bracket 184 extends forwardly from the frame upright 130, FIGS. 9 and 17, and provides two horizontally spaced-apart latch pinholes 184a, 184b, therein into which the latch pin 177 may be successively inserted, respectively, to retain the latch lever 173 in positions corresponding with respective unlatched, and latching positions of the latch bellcrank lever 180. In best theory, the bellcrank lever leg 18% may be some substantial multiple of the length of the cam foot or leg 180a whereby to multiply the mechanical advantage to the operator, as he urges the lever 173 from full line to dotted line (unlatching) position, and thus compresses the spring 181a.

The drive for the winch drum 164, FIGS. 9, 13 and 15, the brake setting and releasing thereof, and the clutching and declutching thereof, may be better visualized in entirety when FIG. 16 is considered as to its details, in relation to these aforesaid figures. The engine 166, driving through the transmission 170, including gearbox a, establishes driving connection with the clutch shaft portion 199a of the clutch shaft 199, such shaft portion 199a extending free through the winch drum 164 on which the payout cable 106 is dead-ended. The winch drum has a left end flange 164a with a reduced diameter bearing flange 164b outwardly thereof and journaled in the gearbox 170a. At its right end the winch drum 164 has a right or brake flange 164a and outwardly thereof a reduced diameter right end clutch cylinder 164d which extends through a bearing ring 185a of a supporting pillow block 185.

The clutch cylinder 164d is hollow toward its outer end and provides frustoconical internal clutch surface 164e for engagement by a frustocone 199!) provided on the clutch shaft 199. Outwardly from the clutch cone l99b the clutch shaft portion 199: extends to an enlarged diameter flange portion or clutch ring 199d, and the clutch shaft right end portion 1992 is journaled for a substantial length in a supporting pillow block or bearing member 185.

As hereinabove described, movement of the clutch lever 172 in direction indicated by the arrow or toward the viewer rotates upwardly the lever 197 which is fixed rigidly to the clutch lever shaft 195 to which the clutch lever 172 is also rigidly fixed. The ends of the clutch lever shaft 195 are journaled in bearing or journal brackets l89b as indicated.

The lever 197 has connected to its outer end a rod 196, the lower end of the rod 196 being loosely pivotally connected about a yoke pin across the outer bifurcated end of the lever 197 while the upper end of the rod 196 is loosely pivotally connected about a yoke pin 198d (at 90 to the yoke pin aforesaid) of the bifurcated outer end 1986 of a bellcrank lever 198. The bellcrank lever 198 is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin [98b that extends transversely (or horizontally) outwardly from housing or frame, as do the aforesaid journal brackets 189b for the clutch lever shaft 195. The inner, upper leg 198a of the bellcrank lever 198 provides the clutch fork that operates against the opposite sides of the clutch ring 1994' to shift the clutch shaft 199 longitudinally. Thus, if the clutch lever 172 is moved in direction aforesaid, the bellcrank lever fork 198a moves to the left to move the clutch cone l99b out of engagement with the internal clutch surface 164e, and the winch drum 164 is set freewheeling so that the cable 106 unreels as indicated.

The clutch lever 172 is affixed to the clutch lever shaft 195 by a setscrew or key, not shown, but provided in its hub 172a. Also, a spring 201 is connected at its lower end to the lower end 172b of the clutch lever 172, with its upper end connected to the platform base 104. In actuality this spring 201 would extend in the plane of, or in general alignment with, and in front of the clutch lever 172, but in view of FIG. 16, for purposes of illustration, the spring 201 is shown at 90 degrees to its proper relationship. Obviously then, considering FIG. 16, it can be seen that when the clutch lever 172 is urged in direction to declutch the winch drum 164 from the engine drive, then it has to be latched in such position or else the spring 201 will urge the clutch lever 172 to pivot in direction opposite direction indicated in FIG. 16, thus to clutch engage the winch drum 164 for engine drive. FIG. 11 shows the clutch lever I72 latched in declutched position by a dropbolt 200a dropped in aligned holes in a latch lug Gb on the clutch lever 172 and in an adjacently mounted clip angle 2000.

The brake lever 171 is rigidly connected to the brake lever shaft 188, which is journaled in bearing or journal brackets 189a. If the brake lever 177 is urged toward the viewer, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 16, such movement will pivot the lever 191 downwardly so that the connecting rod 191a (with upper end rigidly connected to the brake band 192, and with lower end loosely pivotally connected about the yoke pin, not shown, across the bifurcated outer end of the lever 19]), moves downwardly with relation to the brakedrum 1640, more firmly to apply the brake band 192 and brake the winch drum 164 against being rotated, as by unscheduled enclutching the winch drum 164 for engine drive.

When the operator is ready to release the brake and unlatch the hammer for descent, he should have strength in his hand to draw the pawl lift lever 186a (pivoted at 18Gb) against the brake lever handle 171a, whereby the pawl lift rod 186v, pivotally connected to the pawl lift lever 1860 at 186d, may lift the pawl 187 upwardly and out of engagement with that particular tooth 1940 of the brake iatch quadrant 194, with which it has been engaged when the brake has been set, The operator may then rotate the brake lever 172 opposite the direction indicated in FIG. 16, necessarily only in slight degree, and then manipulate the pawl lift lever 1860 to engage the pawl 187 in an adjacent tooth 194a, whereby the attendant rotation of the brake lever shaft 188 causes the brake band 192 to be moved up out of braking contact with the brake drum provided by the drum flange l64c.

The structures set forth within the drawings are illustrative of the broad spirit of the invention and the appended claims, completing the specification, are by way of exemplification.

I claim:

1. A junked metal compressing smasher comprising a base, a rear stop wall, and with a forward platform mounting pulley means therein, a hammer to fall within said walls and carrying pulley means therein, pivot means transversely across the forward portion of said base adjacent said platform, pivot arms interconnecting said pivot means and said hammer, hammer lift means on said platform, cable means passing under said hammer-carried pulley means and over said platformmounted pulley means and carrying a stop thereon rearwardly of a hammer-carried stop means through which said cable means extends, said cable means including a yieldable, extensible and contractable means rearwardly of said stop, and the rearward end of said cable means dead-ended dead ended in said hammer, said hammer means being operable to return said hammer to lifted position, after each hammer descent to smash junked metal disposed on said base, by first taking up cable means to bring said stop and said stop means together and then to lift said hammer by further taking up cable means until said hammer is in raised position, said hammer lift means being operable to release said hammer for descent with cable means freewheeling, whereby said yieldable means, free to contract, lends impulse to the downward descent of said hammer, said platform-providing latch means thereon adapted for disposition to releasably latch said hammer in raised position, and including means to release said latch means from hammer-latching engagement whereby said hammer may travel downwardly with said cable means freewheeling, as aforesaid, said latch means comprising a bellcrank lever centrally pivoted on said platform with one leg yieldably urged rearwardly against a pin carried by said hammer, whereby said hammer is releasably latched in raised position, as aforesaid, the other leg of said lever being con nected to said aforesaid included means to release said latch means, as aforesaid. 

1. A junked metal compressing smasher comprising a base, a rear stop wall, and with a forward platform mounting pulley means therein, a hammer to fall within said walls and carrying pulley means therein, pivot means transversely across the forward portion of said base adjacent said platform, pivot arms interconnecting said pivot means and said hammer, hammer lift means on said platform, cable means passing under said hammercarried pulley means and over said platform-mounted pulley means and carrying a stop thereon rearwardly of a hammer-carried stop means through which said cable means extends, said cable means including a yieldable, extensible and contractable means rearwardly of said stop, and the rearward end of said cable means dead-ended dead ended in said hammer, said hammer means being operable to return said hammer to lifted position, after each hammer descent to smash junked metal disposed on said base, by first taking up cable means to bring said stop and said stop means together and then to lift said hammer by further taking up cable means until said hammer is in raised position, said hammer lift means being operable to release said hammer for descent with cable means freewheeling, whereby said yieldable means, free to contract, lends impulse to the downward descent of said hammer, said platform-providing latch means thereon adapted for disposition to releasably latch said hammer in raised position, and including means to release said latch means from hammerlatching engagement whereby said hammer may travel downwardly with said cable means freewheeling, as aforesaid, said latch means comprising a bellcrank lever centrally pivoted on said platform with one leg yieldably urged rearwardly against a pin carried by said hammer, whereby said hammer is releasably latched in raised position, as aforesaid, the other leg of said lever being connected to said aforesaid included means to release said latch means, as aforesaid. 